Floodlight and heat dissipating device

ABSTRACT

This invention is concerned with a floodlight assembly provided with an apparatus for dissipating heat from the vicinity of a high wattage iodine quartz lamp enclosed therein; the floodlight housing being of relatively small dimensions in comparison to floodlight housings heretofore employed. The invention contemplates a mass of metal bored to receive a high wattage iodine quartz lamp and provided with a shaped surface remote from the said lamp and means for dissipating heat from the vicinity of the said lamp by forming a heat dissipating mass adaptable to enclose the lamp without contacting it.

United States Patent Inventor Leonard Atkin Springfield, NJ.

Appl. No. 625,440

Filed Mar. 23, 1967 Patented Feb. 2, i971 Assignee Stonco ElectricProducts Company Kenilworth, NJ. a corporation of New Jersey FLOODLIGHTAND HEAT DISSIPATING DEVICE 4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 240/3 F213 5/(l0 Field oi Search 240/3, 47, l 1.2, 11.4, 7.1

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 446,142 2/1891 Martin 240/47X1,273,995 7/1918 Bohan .1

24o/47 x 8,265,885 8/1966 Porter..... 24o/11.4 x) 1,282,133 l0/l9l8Sperry 240 47 Primary Examiner-John M. l-ioran AssistantExaminer-Russell E. Adams, Jr. Attorney-Friedman and Goodman ABSTRACT:This invention is concerned with a floodlight assembly provided with anapparatus for dissipating heat from the vicinity of a high wattageiodine quartz lamp enclosed therein; the floodlight housing being ofrelatively small dimensions in comparison to floodlight housingsheretofore employed. The invention contemplates a mass of metal bored toreceive a high wattage iodine quartz lamp and provided with a shapedsurface remote from the said lamp and means for dissipating heat fromthe vicinity of the said lamp by forming a heat dissipating massadaptable to enclose the lamp without contacting it.

Q PATENTEU FEB 2197: 3560328 sum '1 or 2 --i I I V ZZMM/wg MM BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION l. Field of the Invention This invention relates to afloodlight and a heat dissipating I device therefor. More particularly,the invention relates to a heat dissipatingdevice adapted to be disposedin a floodlight housing of relatively small dimensions.

2. Description of the Prior Art High intensity iodine quartz lampsgenerate heat of such high temperatures that it must be dissipated fromthe vicinity of the lamp. If such heat is not properly orotherwise'dissipated the lamp can be destroyed aswell as the associatedstructure and wiring. Therefore some means must beprovided in order toprevent this self-destructive force of the lamp, the socket, and thefloodlight housing. The prior art has attempted to solve this problem byproviding floodlight housing of relatively large dimension in the hopethat such added space would help dissipate some of the heat generated.However,

. 2 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS There is shown in FIG. 1 afloodlight assembly wherein the heat dissipating element forming part ofthe instant invention is incorporated. The floodlight assembly isdesignated generally by the numeral 10. The floodlight assemblycomprises a hollow housing 11 which is advantageously of conicalconformation and preferably formed as an aluminum casting.

unwieldy and inefiicient size requirements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is towards this objective that thisinvention is directed, and that is to provide a heat dissipating deviceand associated structure adapted so as to result in the employment offloodlight housings of relatively small dimensions in comparison tofloodlight housings heretofore employed by the prior art.

In accordance with the present invention, there has now been devised aheat dissipating device adaptable to a floodlight housing having areflective arrangement incorporated therein, said device comprising anannular mass of metal having an inner wall which defines an apertureformed therein and an outer wall having an end face and a side face withthe end face being fonned at an angle with respect to the horizontalaxis of the said annular mass and merging into the side face with theside face adapted to be supported in a suitable floodlight housing incombination with a reflective element. More specifically, a mass ofmetal is provided with a bore adapted to receive a high wattage iodinequartz lamp, the

' shaped surface of the metal being remote from the lamp. The

' mass adapted to enclose the lamp element without contacting.

the same and allowing the heat to dissipate therein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will be hereinafter morefully understood with reference to the description thereof in theaccompanying drawing, in which: I

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a floodlight incorporating a heatdissipating arrangement in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view, in perspective, of the heat dissipatingelement and a lamp and socket therefor;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view, partly broken away, taken along line 3-3 ofFIG. 1; v

I FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the inventiongenerally shown as adapted to be a doubleended lamp unit;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of FIG. 5 taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an exploded front elevational view of the heat dissipatingelement as shown in FIGS. 5, 6'and 8; and

FIG. 8 is afragmentary top plan view, partly in section, showing theheat dissipating element as mounted in the floodlightassembly.

The enlarged end of the housing is provided with a removable glass endface 12 which is retained in position by means of a retaining clip 13;the reduced end or neck portion being provided with a mounting head 14through which electrical leads are extended from the housing forconnection to a source of electrical supply for energizing the lamp. Acylindrical collar 15 is integrally cast with the housing in the neckportion thereof and is disposed concentrically therewith. It will benoted that there is thus formed an annular V-shaped space 16 between theouter peripheral surface of collar and the diverging internal surface ofthe conical portion of the housing wall which is disposed inconfrontingrelation therewith. The collar 15 is internally threaded-asshown at 16 to receive the complementary threaded body portion 17 of theouter sidewall of the heat dissipating element designated generally bythe numeral 18 as will more clearly appear hereafter.

The heat dissipating element 18 comprises an annular or cylindrical massof metal having good heat conduction characteristics, preferablyaluminum, provided with an outer wall which is comprised of saidthreaded sidewall portion 17 and a flange portion 19. The outer wall ofthe heat dissipating element 18 is furtherprovided with a front end face20 which is formed at a slope with respect to the axis 21 thereof,thereby presenting an enlarged surface area having a slope angle 22defined by a line normal to the axis 21 thereof.

The heat dissipating element 18 is also formed with an inner walldefined by an axial aperture or bore 24 which extends therethrough andis provided with an enlarged portion for receiving a lamp socket ormounting means 26 of conventional form for the type of lamp involvedherein.

As may be more clearly seen from FIGS. 2-4, the heat dissipating elementsupports an assembly comprised of the lamp support or socket 26 which inturn removably carried the lamp 27. The lamp socket 26 is provided withdiametrically opposed aperture mounting ears 28 and is secured inposition by.

means of screws 29 which are secured in complementary screw holes 30formed in the rear end face 18A of the element 18. The socket 26 isfurther provided with diametrically opposed electrical connecting posts32 for connection to electrical leads 34 for the energization thereof.

It will be noted that the axial bore extending through the body of theheat dissipating element 18 including the recessed portion thereof isdimensioned with respect to the lamp and socket so that it surrounds thelamp base portion and except for the mounting ears no physical contactis made, an intermediate air space 34A being formed therebetween. Alight reflector 36 is disposed at the front face of element 18 andprovided with an aperture 38 through which the main body of the lampextends and is positioned.

It is seen in FIG. 1 that the inner wall 20A surrounding bore 24 whichdefines the aperture formed through this embodiment of the heatdissipating mass surrounds a portion of the lamp 27. In this preferredembodiment the lamp is surrounded by the said inner wall 20A withoutcontacting the same, to the end that heat initially radiated from thelamp is dissipated from the vicinity of the lamp as it is radiated uponthe inner wall. A most favorable environment for the lamp is obtainedwhen the base of the lamp does not contact the heat dissipation mass.Still further in this embodiment an overlap between the lamp and heatdissipation mass, again without contact therebetween, has been found tobe desirable. So, for example, as shown in FIG. 1 the transparentenvelope of the lamp is shown surrounded by the heat dissipating masswithout contacting the same. This construction provides an air ventingarea 24A around the lamp between the lamp and heat dissipat ing mass forthe free motion of masses of air therethrough.

Referring now to another embodiment of the invention as shown in FIGS.5-8, wherein like reference characters designate like or correspondingparts as described in FIGS. 1- 4, there is shown a device according tothe invention adapted to be a double-ended lamp unit.

FIG. 5 depicts a floodlight assembly 10, identical to the one describedin FIG. 1, with the collar I5 being internally threaded as shown at I6to receive the complementarily threaded body portion 17A of the outersidewall of the heat dissipating element designated generally by thenumeral 40, in this specific embodiment.

The heat dissipating element 40 also comprises a cylindrical mass ofmetal having good heat'conduction characteristics, preferably aluminum,and provided with an outer wall which is comprised of said sidewallportion 17A and a head portion 42 integrally connected thereto. Headportion 42 has flanges 44 which extend outwardly towards end face 12from the upper and lower ends of said head portion 42, forming a cavity46 for receiving the lamp 27 partially therein, so that a space is provided behind a said lamp. Said flanges 44 are bifurcated to provide forthe insertion of said lamp 27, at its base 27A. The lamp supportingmeans 48 is provided with electrical terminals 50 adapted to beenergized by a source of current. The lamp supporting means 48 is alsoprovided with electrical conducting means, well known in the art, whichare adapted to energize lamps, generally represented by the lamp 27,from the electrical terminals 50 connected to leads 34. The lamp 27 issupported by the supporting means 48 and energizable through theconducting means 34 connected to the lamp 27. In this preferredembodiment the end face 52 and cavity 46 surround the base of the lampwithout contacting the same, to the end that heat initially absorbed bythe base is dissipated from the vicinity of the lamp as it is radiatedupon the end face 52. Again, the most favorable environment for the lampis obtained when the base of the lamp does not contact the heatdissipation mass. Connecting means 34A run from terminal 50 to supportelement 48A. Still further, the arcuately sloped or dished portion ofthe end face 52 has been determined to be a favorable configuration forincreasing the heat dissipation of this embodiment either alone or incombination with providing the bifurcated members 44 and/or the threadedsurface 17A as hereinbefore described in the discussion of theembodiment shown in FIG. I. The lamp supporting means 48 are attached tohead portion 42 by means of screw 54 threaded into apertures 56 of saidportion 42 and seat in a recess 70 in element 40 at its face end.

Referring again to FIG. 5, another screw 60 connects end face 52 to headportion 42. FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 show various views of the modifiedembodimentas shown in FIG. 5 of the heat dissipating element 40, whichreference numerals have been described with relation to FIG. 5 andcorrespond thereto.

It will also be noted that conical walls 11 shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 arealso in similar threaded relation to threads of the inner surface ofsaid assembly 10, at threads ISA. These said threads 15A also aid in thedissipation of the heat.

It is believed that the method herein disclosed of dissipating heat fromthe vicinity of a heat radiating lamp by forming a mass havingdimensions large enough to fit around the heat radiating lamp anddisposing the mass of metal such that the structure surrounds a portionof the lamp in intimate relation with respect thereto and is furtherdisposed in heat radiation relation with respect thereto, asdistinguished from heat conduction relation with respect thereto, isitself conceptionally inventive. Heat radiated upon the mass isdissipated therethrough by means of conduction and from the faces of themass remote from the lamp by means of radiation, convection orconduction, depending upon the media disposed immediately adjacent tothe surfaces remote from the lamp. In

addition, it is a feature of the invention to include forming threads inthe outer wall of the mass to increase the outer wall area thereof tostimulate heat transfer from the mass into the media adjacent theretoand, as shown in FIGS. l4 it is a further feature of the method toinclude forming the end face sloped with respect to the axis of theaperture as hereinbefore described to increase the end face area of themass.

Iclaim:

1. In a floodlight assembly having a hollow housing with a lampsupporting means in one end and a light reflecting means in the otherend, said lamp supporting means having electrical terminals adapted tobe energized by a source of current and means to energize a lampsupportable thereby from said electrical terminals to cause the lamp toemit light and radiate heat, the improvement comprising a heatdissipating means mounted on the housing intermediate the reflectingmeans and lamp supporting means, said heat dissipating means having aninner wall which defines an aperture formed therein through which aportion of a lamp may be inserted and be surrounded by said wall withoutcontacting said wall and wherein said heat dissipating means comprise amass having a pair of bifurcated members formed to surround the base ofsaid lamp without contacting said base, said bifurcated members definingan end face on said heat dissipating means, and said end face alsocomprising an arcuately sloped portion terminating in said bifurcatedmembers.

2. In a floodlight assembly having a hollow housing with a lampsupporting means in one end and a light reflecting means in the otherend, said lamp supporting means having electrical terminals adapted tobe energized by a source of current and means to energize a lampsupportable thereby from said electrical terminals to cause the lamp toemit light and radiate heat, the improvement comprising a heatdissipating means mounted on the housing intermediate the reflectingmeans and lamp supporting means, said heat dissipating means having aninner wall which defines an aperture formed therein through which aportion of a lamp may be inserted and be surrounded by said wall withoutcontacting said wall, said heat dissipating means comprising an annularmass having an outer wall which includes an end face and a side face,said end face being formed at an angle with respect to the axis of theannular mass and merging into said side face, and said side face beingadapted to being supported in said floodlight housing.

3. The device according to claim 4, said end face flaring inwardlytoward said side face and merging thereinto.

4. The device according to claim 5, said inner wall being formedsubstantially parallel with respect to the axis of said annular mass andsaid side face being formed substantially parallel with respect to saidinner wall.

1. In a floodlight assembly having a hollow housing with a lampsupporting means in one end and a light reflecting means in the otherend, said lamp supporting means having electrical terminals adapted tobe energized by a source of current and means to energize a lampsupportable thereby from said electrical terminals to cause the lamp toemit light and radiate heat, the improvement comprising a heatdissipating means mounted on the housing intermediate the reflectingmeans and lamp supporting means, said heat dissipating means having aninner wall which defines an aperture formed therein through which aportion of a lamp may be inserted and be surrounded by said wall withoutcontacting said wall and wherein said heat dissipating means comprise amass having a pair of bifurcated members formed to surround the base ofsaid lamp without contacting said base, said bifurcated members definingan end face on said heat dissipating means, and said end face alsocomprising an arcuately sloped portion terminating in said bifurcatedmembers.
 2. In a floodlight assembly having a hollow housing with a lampsupporting means in one end and a light reflecting means in the otherend, said lamp supporting means having electrical terminals adapted tobe energized by a source of current and means to energize a lampsupportable thereby from said electrical terminals to cause the lamp toemit light and radiate heat, the improvement comprising a heatdissipating means mounted on the housing intermediate the reflectingmeans and lamp supporting means, said heat dissipating means having aninner wall which defines an aperture formed therein through which aportion of a lamp may be inserted and be surrounded by said wall withoutcontacting said wall, said heat dissipating means comprising an annularmass having an outer wall which includes an end face and a side face,said end face being formed at an angle with respect to the axis of theannular mass and merging into said side face, and said side face beingadapted to being supported in said floodlight housing.
 3. The deviceaccording to claim 4, said end face flaring inwardly toward said sideface and merging thereinto.
 4. The device according to claim 5, saidinner wall being formed substantially parallel with respect to the axisof said annular mass and said side face being formed substantiallyparallel with respect to said inner wall.